The main boundaries of the Boston Eruv are shown on the map above. Below are two general sections. The first outlines the external border of the Eruv and the second describes the internal borders (lakes and cemeteries).

External borders

The northern border of the Eruv extends from Chestnut St. (Newton) along the Massachusetts Turnpike (Route 90) eastwards until the intersection of the Pike with the BU Bridge, then follows Storrow Drive until the Charlesgate area and then rejoins the Pike south of Commonwealth Avenue. (Boston). The Eruv then follows the Mass Pike north fence westwards, crossing over the Brookline Avenue overpass and then crossing over the eastside of the Beacon Street overpass. It then continues through the parking lot near Harvard Pilgrim-Kenmore; then meets the MBTA (Green Line) fence ands heads southwesterly back towards Brookline.

The MBTA line is followed until Brookline Village where the Eruv turns south, crosses over Route 9 just east of the Pedestrian Bridge and then turns down Pond Avenue (the Brook House and its sidewalk is in the Eruv). The Eruv continues down Pond Ave. and then follows Chestnut St. north, Walnut St. west and finally crosses Lee St., turns west on Heath St., north on Dunster Rd., crosses Route 9, turns west on Middlesex Rd. and then meets the MBTA fence on the west side of Hammond St.

The Eruv follows the MBTA tracks (south side) until Glen Ave. and then follows Glen Ave. to Langley Rd., turns south until Route 9, west on Route 9 until Woodward St., north on Woodward until Lincoln St., follows Lincoln west until it meets the MBTA fence at the northern end of the Eliot St. Station. The Eruv then follows the fence along the tracks until Chestnut St. and then follows Chestnut St. north until the intersection with the Mass. Pike.

Internal

Several areas within the Eruv District are self-contained by a Mechitzah in order to exclude them from the Eruv. Sidewalks along these streets must be very carefully walked to prevent one carrying outside of the Eruv on Shabbat.

• City Hall (Newton) - The City Hall "triangle" is located west of Walnut Street, south of Commonwealth Avenue, and north of Homer Street.
  

  Starting at the corner of Walnut and Commonwealth Ave:

  • Along Walnut Street: One may carry only on the eastern, sidewalk side of Walnut Street between Commonwealth and Homer Streets.
  • Along Homer Street: One may carry along the west (library) side of the street and to the Newton Public Library. One may only carry only on the "houses" side of the street and only on the sidewalk, not in the street. One must pay careful attention to where the overhead twines are that delineate the border of the Eruv around the City Hall pond.
  • Along Commonwealth Avenue: One may only carry when walking in the carriage road between Walnut Street and Lowell Avenue. When reaching Lowell Avenue, one may carry across the traffic light intersection.
  [This entire area is should be treated very carefully to protect oneself and family from unwittingly carrying on Shabbat. The appopriateness of entering/using the library on Shabbat should be checked with your Rabbi.]

  From the corner of Walnut and Commonwealth proceeding southwards, one must stay on the east side of Walnut until Homer and then can proceed on Walnut along either side of the sidewalk until the edge of the Cemetery Fence. {Newton Cemetery} From here until the south end of the cemetery, one must walk only only on the east side of the street (and never IN the street). The sidewalk along the Newton Cemetery is out of the Eruv from north end to south end along Walnut Street. The south end of the border is along the fence between the Walgreen's parking lot and the cemetery.

  ---

• [7/6/2007] - The area around Crystal Lake is part of the Eruv.

  ---

• Bulloughs Pond (Newton): updated 10/30/2007 - The northern border runs through the park (along Walnut St) just north of Dexter Rd. along Walnut to just north of Commonwealth Avenue, where it joins the pond fence. It follows the fence around the south-western side of the Pond until Bulloughs Park. The Eruv follows the fence parallel to Commonwealth towards Bulloughs Park and then rejoins the utility poles at the southeastern corner of the Pond. The Eruv now follows utility lines north on Bulloughs Park until the corner with Dexter at which point the Eruv turns west on Dexter. Just after the last hours on the north side of Dexter, the Eruv crosses Dexter and connects to a tree in the park on the north side of Dexter. The mechitza now follows the incline of the ravine at the bottom of which is a stream until reaching Walnut Street at which point the Mechitza rises up to the fence along the sidewalk. A Tzurat HaPesach crosses over the sidewalk at this point to connect back to the utility poles.
  • The intersection (in the street) of Dexter and Bulloughs Park is completely in the Eruv
  • There is no way to carry from Bulloughs Pond to Walnut along Dexter (the closest cross streets in the Eruv are Mill (on the north) and Commonwealth (on the south)
  • The sidewalk on Walnut St. from just north of Commonwealth Avenue to just north of Dexter is out of the Eruv. One should only walk on the street (if safe) or on the WEST side of Walnut in this area.

  ---

  

• Chandler Pond (Brighton) - There is no way to travel along Lake St. Only the north side of Kenrick Rd. is in the Eruv.
  

  ---

• Newton Cemetery (Walnut St.) -The only side of Walnut St. in the Eruv between Newton Four Corners and the northern extent of the cemetery property (abutting the Newton Public Library, south of Homer St.) is the sidewalk on the eastern side of the street.
  

  Additional twines have been placed that span from the light poles coming down Walnut St. from Commonwealth Ave. towards the library (actually to the pole on the southwest corner of Homer and Walnut) then travelling west on Homer until just past the Library parking lot. With these twines in place, the twine coming to the southeast corner is valid but superceded by the twines just described. This way, the entire east side of Walnut street (on the sidewalk) is available to walkers. The original twines were left in-place as a backup. (Note added July 25, 2004)

  ---

• Hall's Pond (Brookline) - This pond, located east of Amory Park is not in the Eruv. There is a fence all around this Pond area that may not be crossed on Shabbos.
  

  ---

• Chestnut Hill Reservoir (Brighton) - This large reservoir is completely surrounded by an iron fence. This fence is the Mechitzah and one may not carry if on the other side of it on Shabbos. In late 2004, several gaps were made in the fence for people to walk in the interior of the fence. Now, the reservoir is treated like the Brookline Reservoir and so the outside or inside may be traversed on Shabbat.
  

  ---

• Brookline Reservoir (Brookline - Off Route 9) - This body of water is completely surrounded by an embedded, angled flagstone wall. The Walking Path around this reservoir is completely available for use on Shabbat. One may not walk down the edges of the slope on Shabbos since the slope is the Mechitzah.
  

  ---

• Glen Road/Westminster Road Extension, November 2010: An enlargement was made to accommodate the homes south of Westminster towards Langley Road and including homes on Glen Road and Bartlett Terrace. The map below shows the general borders. The path that leads through the forest from the cul-de-sac on Westminster up to Langley Road must be carefully traversed to stay to the north of the overhead twine - this is significantly off the walking path - please be careful!
  

  ---

• Newton Crowne Plaza, November 2010: The two Tzurot Ha-Pesah at the hotel allow guests to enter and exit the hotel on Shabbat when carrying only from the south side of the hotel (and not through the automatic electic doors at the main lobby entrance).